Saturday, December 17, 2016

Blue Beetle #3 (2016)

"Jaime Reyes: Reluctant Wielder of the Power of the Blue Beetle Scarab. Ted Kord: Billionaire Industrialist and Sidelined Superhero. Together They Are The Blue Beetle...Whether They Like It Or Not." Previously, Ted, Jaime and the Posse had been investigating the strange circumstances surrounding the disappearance of several local teens. The search led them to mysterious holes at the homes of each teen but not much else. Keith Giffen and Scott Kolins are back with issue #3 and a story called "Night Terrors!"

Jaime is asleep, but the scarab is not. It carries him through the streets, and powers up his armor before taking him into one of the mystery holes.

When he wakes he finds himself face to face with an army of green insect-like beings. He barely has time to process what's happening and how he got here before the creatures attack! Not only that, they do something that has never happened before...they break the armor! One of them grabs our hero, and he hears it in his head. They are the Horde, they're doing their master's bidding, and they want Jaime to know despair.

He reacts, creating a huge wrecking ball of energy, taking out several of the Horde. One manages to grab him though, but the scarab creates an explosion that knocks them away. It's then that Jaime realizes two things; he's not in control, the scarab is, and there's a giant object that's been revealed...like a huge sarcophagus. And then...he goes unconscious. The scarab flies him out of the hole just as a blast of energy seems to seal it shut. Reluctantly, Jaime heads to see Ted for advice.A half naked Jaime approaches Ted at a Kord construction site and fills in the "sidelined superhero" on the previous night's adventure. After giving Jaime a Kord sweatshirt, the duo discuss a warning from Dr. Fate.

Ted explains that the scarab got Fate's attention, and even hints that Fate may be scared of it. He hesitates to say more but, at Jaime's insistence, gives all the details. Dr. Fate believes the scarab is using Jaime as a vessel. He said the scarab was "damaged", that it will act if they don't do something...and even suggests killing Jaime to prevent that from happening! Hearing this only makes Jaime more desperate to have the scarab removed! They need additional tests before they can attempt to remove it, and that's something Ted says they'll work on. He'll have Ms. Magnus to set up the tests. Ms.Teri Magnus though is currently occupied. She's meeting with a pair of private investigators...Sugar and Spike!

Jaime finally arrives at school, late, earning him a spot in detention. He catches up with Paco who reassures him it isn't all bad...while a mystery girl watches from a distance.

On the way home Jaime stops by his father's garage. Their conversation starts as a continuation of the "Mom shouldn't be providing health care to the Posse", but quickly turns into "I'm afraid I may be losing control of the scarab." He relates the recent events to his father, including the talk he had with Ted and the upcoming tests with Ms. Magnus. Mr. Reyes advises Jaime to talk to his mother, and suggests she could even sit in on the tests if Jaime would like.

From there Jaime heads off to talk to Brenda. He fills her in on everything too, and gets invited by her aunt to stay for dinner.Finally, at El Paso International Airport, an armored green figure, similar in appearance to the Horde, walks through the crowd. A young boy runs from his mother, bumping into the being who turns...now looking like a normal, slightly evil, man.

The mother makes the boy apologize, which the man accepts before walking away and calling the boy an "impudent whelp" at which point the child collapses bleeding from his eyes and nose!Once again, more questions than answers...but darn this new series is fun! Well, maybe not fun...not this issue anyway. More like dramatic, heart wrenching, mysterious! The Horde? Dr. Fate's cryptic warnings? The mystery man at the airport? All very intriguing! The emotional weight of Jaime's response to Ted's story about Dr. Fate? The desperation to have the scarab removed? Visiting his friends and family like he's walking to his own death sentence? Powerful stuff! And Sugar and Spike? Seriously? Sugar and Spike! When I met Keith Giffen at the Baltimore Comic Con this year he told me they would show up...but not as private investigators! Ok, that was fun...and mysterious...can't wait to see the next issue! Especially considering it promises to be "The Origin of the Blue Beetles!"

About Me

I like to think of myself as a sort of Renaissance man. I've always been somewhat artistic, but after completing college and realizing my degree wasn't what I wanted to do for a living, I settled into a desk job and decided to keep learning, enjoying life and seeing what was out there. That's led me to, among other things (in no particular order)...writer/poet, magic classes, clown classes, artist, freelance comic work, acting classes, impressions, courses on Egyptology, becoming ordained as an online minister, bartender's certification, and blogger...but the list keeps growing!